Oppopinion Poll Results: 2020 Supra

"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake)
05/14/2019 at 09:22 • Filed to: None

54 responses in less than 24 hours. I’m impressed, Oppo. I’m definitely going to do more of these

Here’s the results:

This was somewhat predictable, but still interesting. Overall Oppo likes the Supra. You even like the BMW engine. You don’t like the transmission. Most people are neutral on the interior, but surprisingly the exterior is really favorable. I was expecting the exterior to be more polarizing

I know “No I’d prefer another competitor” is there twice, idk why, deal with it

Most of you might buy one if there’s a manual. Otherwise you don’t want it. I’d like to dive on the data and see what the opinions were of those that don’t want one. Do you like it but not want it, or do you hate it so you don’t want it?

DISCUSSION (23)

WRXforScience > Jayhawk Jake
05/14/2019 at 10:00

The Supra has committed 3 sins and in order of se verity from least to greatest:

1) It’s a BMW, your ‘halo’ sports car shouldn’t be made by someone else

2) It’s too heavy. 2-seaters shouldn’t weigh much more than 3000lbs especially if they aren’t rocking a v8.

3) There isn’t a manual option. If you’re going to make a sports car it needs a manual. If you’re going to build a GT car it should be a 2+2 (or just not exist, the performance of sedans has negated the need for a grand tourer type car).

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 10:04

Go weigh a post Mk2 Supra.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Jayhawk Jake
05/14/2019 at 10:04

I did not participate in the survey. But I’m a whole handful of “ifs” from even saying I’d consider it. The biggest of my “ifs” is the lack of a rear seat. I’m married with one kid- any car I get has to have 4 seats if I’m going to pay real money for it. I think it’s too bad they skipped this and I’m surprised that fact hasn’t gotten more attention. Say what you will about the rear seat of a 911 but my daughter is pretty content behind me when we take mine out and she is actually still in a convertible car seat and could be on just a booster; when we change to one of those she’ll have even more space. Chris Harris spoke really well to how practical the rear seat in a 911 makes it compared to its competitors. I know that it wouldn’t work well to share a chassis with a 2 seater convertible and they had certain driving dynamics in mind but rear seats are great.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 10:21

If you’re going to make a sports car it needs a manual.

Not in 2019, sadly. Thankfully Porsche’s holding on, and Chevy & Ford, and maybe BMW for a little while longer, but I’m guessing this next generation of sports cars may be the last to offer a manual for many makers.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
05/14/2019 at 10:23

My E90 M3 is so damn capable, and so damn practical. Hard to match.

If they made a GT3 Touring with a back seat...

Maybe I’ll just have to retrofit one some day.

WRXforScience > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
05/14/2019 at 10:25

The Supra has always been a heavy GT car, but Toyota is pretending that it’s a sports car again. GT cars are useless wastes of what could have been great cars.

They sacrifice practicality for ‘performance’ but sacrifice real performance by adding too much weight. They’re for people who like to pretend to want performance but really are only interested in badge/top trumps and commuting.

GT cars shouldn’t be marketed as focused on enthusiasts, they’re for flexing at the office/ gym parking lot. They are the fancy watches of the automotive world (I also dislike fancy watches).

WilliamsSW > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
05/14/2019 at 10:28

^^^^

People seem to have forgotten but the Mk3 and Mk4 cars got a lot of shit for being heavy when new.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Jayhawk Jake
05/14/2019 at 10:28

I still think it looks like a probiscus monkey.

WRXforScience > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
05/14/2019 at 10:29

A true sports car will always be a manual, we might have to allow double clutch gearboxes, but I will never include a car without a manual transmission as a sports car (unless it’s electric).

If all you offer is a torque converter automatic, your car can by a sporty car but it can never be a sports car.

WRXforScience > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
05/14/2019 at 10:29

A true sports car will always be a manual, we might have to allow double clutch gearboxes, but I will never include a car without a manual transmission as a sports car (unless it’s electric).

If all you offer is a torque converter automatic, your car can by a sporty car but it can never be a sports car.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 10:35

Most sports cars now are also that heavy. Sports cars are about how they drive, and from the sounds of it, Toyota nailed it.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 10:43

The Z06 has a torque converter. Faster around the track than the manual, and shifts faster than a PDK (or did when it first came out).

WRXforScience > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
05/14/2019 at 11:12

And I will relentlessly mock anyone who tells me that at the track. All the C7 Zo6's I’ve seen actually show up to the track are manual. The automatic is for the guys too old to actually drive the cars (the same ones that get s tu ck inside and can’t figure out how the manual door release works when the elec tronic ones don’t work) or drag racers for whom a C7 is wasted on.

And, the C7 is offered with a manual.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 11:14

Well, that’s good.

For now...

412GTI > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 11:22

You’re not wrong with these “sins”, however I don’t believe they will matter when it comes to selling the Supra.

1.) This car most likely would not have happened without some sort of partnership, just like the BRZ/86. Toyota could have tried doing this on their own but with what? The old IS platform and a NA V6? I believe that would get more hate than this BMW version.

2.) It might be a bit heavy, but early reviews are indicating that is not an issue when it comes to driving satisfaction . A Toyota developed version (say using the IS platform) wouldn’t be any lighter.

3.) Agree. A manual needs to be offered and I think will down the line as a special model. Keep the hype train going. However, this is still a very good automatic.

WRXforScience > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
05/14/2019 at 11:24

Sports cars aren’t for ev eryone, and not all sporty cars need to be sports cars. If you make a grand tourer, and that’s what people want/buy, call your car a grand tourer and embrace it for what it is. Just dont call your heavy luxury riddled executive cruiser a sports car, and don’t pretend that it’ll be at home at the track.

I threw shot-put and discus in high school and was on the track team, but I’d never call myself a runner and I wouldn’t pretend that I was at home on the track. Anyone who thinks the Z4 or Supra will make a good track car are seriously mistaken. I don’t know what ‘ sports’ the Supra will excel at, but it won’t be motorsports.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 11:41

I hope that manuals (and good dual-clutch systems) stay around, but we’re really at a tipping point right now. If enough buyers (at all price points) keep buying them at high enough percentages these next few years , that should ensure their inclusion for some time, but if take-rates drop to 10% or less, along with the push toward more autonomy and electrification, they may go largely the way of the dodo...

My heavy luxury-riddled executive cruiser does pretty damn well at the track all day long , fwiw. Definitely not the fastest, but not the slowest either, and it can get my kids to school the next day. I’m much more interested in a dual-purpose car that a car that’s only at home on track.

Supra owners get a free NASA membership and a free track day, so that says something. Looking forward to hearing what Chris Harris has to say about the Supra’s track-worthiness.

WRXforScience > WilliamsSW
05/14/2019 at 12:20

Especially Toyota.

WRXforScience > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
05/14/2019 at 12:21

You can get them to add it back in, I believe it was a no cost option.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 12:25

Really? I thought I chased this down and that wasn’t the case.

Jayhawk Jake > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 12:55

What does ‘good on the track’ even mean? For 99.9% of people that actually do go to a track, all that matters is fun. If it’s fun to drive on a track, it’s a good track car. Very few people care about time, and even fewer of those that do care about their laptimes are limited by the car they’re in rather than their own ability to drive fast.

Sure, it’s a little portly at 3300 pounds, but with a tiny wheelbase and low center of gravity I doubt it’ll feel out of it’s element on a track

WRXforScience > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
05/14/2019 at 14:00

Looks like the 997.1 could add back in the rear seats but not the 997.2 (there was a kit for the 997.2 in the US though). The newer ones you can do it but it doesn’t look like any of them were a factory option (it was the cage in the RS that could be removed as a no cost option).

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > WRXforScience
05/14/2019 at 14:06

Yeah, I’m specifically thinking of the 991.2 GT3 Touring.

Without the half-cage, seems like a retrofit wouldn’t be that difficult.

Not like it could happen in the next 5 years, so these seats would actually be for the grandkids ... =)